| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Bahia | |
| sid -- 04/06/2004, 14:34:31 -- #3337 | |
| Anyone know where I can find English language lyrics to Ary Barrosso's "Bahia" (aka "Na Baixa do Sapateiro")? The usual search sites lead only to the Portuguese words, but I know there are English lyrics out there because Carmen Miranda (!) sang them in some movie in 1933 or something. It's a very cool number, by the way, and there's a great version by Ahmad Jamal on an album that someone borrowed from me and forgot to return (if you're reading this, can I have it back please). I hope I have better success with this request than with my earlier one for "Louisiana Sunday afternoon". I seem to have a gift for undershooting the Googlewhack. Any help appreciated. sid | |
| 7 -- 04/07/2004, 09:04:48 -- #3355 | |
| Why not rent the Carmen Miranda movie and transcribe from there? | |
| sid -- 04/08/2004, 01:18:32 -- #3374 | |
| Possibly. Trouble is, I don't exactly know which movie. The thought of ploughing through the complete works of Carmen Miranda, though it has a certain kitsch/camp/post-modern/ironic attraction, would not be a gainful use of my time. I tried putting the Portuguese lyrics through an online translator. The result is so Willian Burroughs that I'm thinking of getting the vocalist to sing the words unedited. Incidentally, it's Barroso, not Barrosso, in case anyone is kind enough to want to search in a different way. sid | |
| sid -- 04/08/2004, 03:00:59 -- #3375 | |
| ...and William, not Willian *doh* | |
| smg -- 04/08/2004, 08:35:56 -- #3381 | |
| Check out this site-http://www.ethosbrasil.com There are a few of the guys' songs there,but more importantly check the links off of it...... | |
| albetan -- 04/08/2004, 08:50:39 -- #3384 | |
| Hi Sid: In this site you will find all recordings of Bahia: There i see Carmen Miranda recorded it in Odeon in 1938. That version was reedited in 1977. http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Cabana/1244/baixa-list.html I suggest this piano pattern: | |
| smg -- 04/08/2004, 09:01:25 -- #3386 | |
| Ai, love ai, ai Love, bobagem that people do not explain ai, ai Test one bocadinho, oi Fica poisoning, oi and pro remaining portion of the life is one such to suffer Ôlará, ô lerę Ô Bahia, iaiá Bahia that does not leave me the thought Makes my moan, oi In the hopelessness, oi to find in this world the love that I lost in the Bahia I go to count In the Decrease of the Shoemaker I I found one day colored person more frajola of the Bahia I asked for a kiss, did not give One hugs, smiled Asked for the hand, did not want to give Ran away Bahia, land of happiness Colored person, ah colored person I walks insane person of homesickness Mine Gentleman of the Bonfim Arranje another Igualzinha colored person prá me Ai Bahia, iaiá This is what I got when I went to this site,copied the Portuguese lyrics and used the Google "translator"(language tools) | |
| smg -- 04/08/2004, 09:27:06 -- #3388 | |
| http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Cabana/1244/baixa.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3DNa%2BBaixa%2Bdo%2BSapateiro%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG is what I just found..I'm on the case right now,hopefully I'll find a more lucid translation..... | |
| Paul -- 04/08/2004, 09:30:42 -- #3389 | |
| Don't trust these translators especially when you're dealing with songs and poems. In my band we have the same problems with brazilan music. We sing only in Spanish so we look at the English and Potuguese lyrics and try to come up with not really a word for word translation but rather an artistic inturpretation. Sometimes we have to get pretty far away from the literal meaning so we create a natural sound. Perhaps you can use the above translation as a general guide. Good luck! Paul | |
| smg -- 04/08/2004, 09:32:08 -- #3390 | |
| http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Na+Baixa+do+Sapateiro&btnG=Search is the best link i've found..it looks to me like this song is only partially translatable,using actual idiomatic expressions from Brazil...anyways there are about 10 translations here...... | |
| smg -- 04/08/2004, 09:33:07 -- #3391 | |
| yeah Paul posted that while i was posting mine..same thing... | |
| sid -- 04/13/2004, 01:18:44 -- #3480 | |
| Many thanks for all your trouble. I think the message is that there isn't a usable English language version of the lyrics on the web. Perhaps I'll get my friend Marcia from Sao Paolo to make a translation and bash it into shape myself. I'm in a songwriting phase at the moment, so it will be a nice project. Once again, muitos agradecimentos - what a great site this is, and what helpful and knowledgeable contributors. sid | |
| 7 -- 04/13/2004, 09:04:38 -- #3487 | |
| It is virtually impossible to translate poetry and make it scan and rhyme. You can translate the words to get the meaning, but to capture the actual POETRY is really rare. For example, the English words to "Corcovado" ("Quiet Nights") have practically nothing to do with the Portuguese original. Neither do the French and English versions of "Les Feuilles Mortes" and "Autumn Leaves". Generally the words in a different language constitute an entirely different poem. Usually written by somebody who knows how to write. 7 | |
| sid -- 04/13/2004, 09:22:28 -- #3488 | |
| You are right, of course, but fortunately the woman in my life is an accomplished poet and lyricist, and I believe we run a reasonably literate household, so Bahia shouldn't be beyond us. sid | |
| albetan -- 05/04/2004, 20:02:59 -- #4136 | |
| Hi sid: May be a bit late... but i found lyrics of Bahia in Latin Real book: Oh Bahia ya! When twilight is deep in the sky, Bahia ya! Someone that i long to see Keeps haunting my reverie and so the lonliness deep in my heart calls to you, calls to you. (repeat) I live in the mem'ry of many dreams ago, When the stars were bright and you were mine alone. My love for you can not die, tho' the oceans run dry or heavens fall from the sky, Now you're gone. Bahia' can't you hear my lonely call? Morena, make my life complete again How i pray for the day when i'll see you smile and my heart will beat again. | |
| sid -- 05/05/2004, 01:13:27 -- #4138 | |
| Albert, you've saved my life. Many thanks - sid | |
| albetan -- 05/05/2004, 15:50:48 -- #4152 | |
| Hi sid: I uploaded in precedent post a transcription for you. Good luck and enjoy BAHIA. | |
| sid -- 05/06/2004, 13:26:35 -- #4165 | |
| Many thanks, Alberto. You might be interested to know that a couple of years ago I posted a midi version of the Bahia changes (minus the intro vamp) on Songtrellis: http://www.songtrellis.com/sounds/viewer$2397 Also, I showed the Latin Real Book words to my friend Marcia from Sao Paolo, who knows the original Brazilian song, and she said a very rude Portuguese word, which indicated that she did not approve of these English lyrics. So together we worked on a new version. In case anyone is interested, here it is. If anyone actually uses these words in performance, we'd really like to hear about it - sid. Bahia Music by Ary Barroso English lyrics by Marcia Buanafina and Sid Thomas Love is fleeting; And the fruit of love makes for strange, exotic eating. The sweet taste of the first caress All too soon turns to bitterness, And the pain may remain for a day, or a lifetime, Always near, always here. Ah, Bahia - You have captured my mind and enslaved my soul - Bahia. I feel frail as an autumn leaf. I feel fever with no relief. Will I never return to recapture your rapturous Atmosphere? We'd meet on the street where the shoeshine boys All knew your name. Though the other girls said nothing, they all watched you. I know they dreamt of your face, Longed for your kiss and embrace, For, in that bright market-place, I did too. Bahia - magic land of love and yearning. Bahia - how I pray I'll be returning To the warmth of your sun And to the golden smile of someone Just like you. | |
| Copyright © 2005 by Scot Ranney. All rights reserved. | |
| Click Here for more information about performances and clinics. Click Here to sign up for Scot's music announcements. | |